Discover® Global Network Launches Transit Solution Internationally

RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Discover® Global Network, the payments brand of Discover®, has launched Tap and Pay solutions with transit agencies and local acquiring partners such as EMT Madrid, Metro de Seville and GetNet in Spain, Mennica in Poland and New Taipei Metro in Taiwan. Riders may now use their Discover, Diners Club International® and network alliance partner cards to make contactless payments at these transit agencies in top international destinations.

As commuting continues to change and riders expect flexibility in how they pay, transit agencies are migrating to contactless payments at a faster pace than anything seen in the past decade. As of February 2022, 53 percent of transit transactions are contactless, up from 14 percent in August of 2020. Globally, 150 large cities are looking to adopt contactless payments for transit systems¹.

“The Discover® Transit Solution gives riders the flexibility to pay how they want and provides a seamless customer experience,” said Emily Foshee, vice president of core network products and delivery at Discover. “Accepting contactless payments from cardholders in the Discover Global Network can help transit companies drive volume, lower operating costs and decrease cost of fare collection.”

“We’re excited to enable acceptance growth with transit companies like EMT Madrid and Metro de Seville in Spain. This ensures Discover® Global Network Cardholders have an enjoyable seamless experience when they visit," says Rubén Justel, CEO at Getnet Europe.

“This solution allows us to offer an improved customer experience and make travel easier and more convenient for our riders,” said Jorge Maroto, managing director at Metro de Sevilla, the Seville underground in Spain.

The Discover® Transit Solution enables acceptance of both traditional and contactless transit payments and offers customizable options including supporting merchant transit fare policies, pass products (credentialing), white labeling, contactless payments, first ride risk share and payment account reference.

Discover has been working with transit partners in the U.S. since 2012 and is enabled on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (NY MTA), Albany, NY (CDTA) Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Portland (Tri-Met). The Company also has a robust pipeline of agencies in the U.S. and across the globe that are in the process of migrating to contactless payments, with Discover® Transit Solution launches in Turkey and Qatar coming soon.

Discover Global Network is the fastest growing global payments network² with more than 280 million cardholders, more than 60 million merchant acceptance locations and 1.8 million ATM and cash access locations. It includes Discover Network, Diners Club International, PULSE® and more than 25 alliance partner networks across the globe.

For more information, visit https://www.discoverglobalnetwork.com/solutions/enable-payments/transit-solutions/.

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a digital banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover® Card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers private student loans, personal loans, home loans, checking and savings accounts and certificates of deposit through its banking business. It operates the Discover® Global Network comprised of Discover Network, with millions of merchants and cash access locations; PULSE®, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International®, a global payments network with acceptance around the world. For more information, visit www.discover.com/company.

1. ABI Research Open and Closed Loop EMV Acceptance on Transportation Networks, May 2021

2. Based on signed alliance agreements over the past twelve years with major payment networks within respective countries — Panoramic Research study, conducted 2020.

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